Work Harder On Yourself Than You Do Anything Else

It was my secret weapon for 35 years when I worked with job seekers at all levels.  And over the years, as I’ve watched the evolution of the resume writing and career coaching professions, I find that this strategic weapon still gets very little attention, if any at all. 

Mind you, this secret weapon was the foundation for turning my own life around 35 years ago, after being fired by a best friend at age 39, and not having a clue what my place was in the workplace.   I worked with a coach to try and find clarity and purpose.  He said, “Mr. Block, you must work harder on yourself than you do anything else.  Work harder on yourself than you do on your job search and career, your marriage, or anything else because when you grow, every aspect of your life follows.”  I did, and everything changed for me – and untold clients I’ve worked with.

So, in celebration of National Career Development Month (Every November since 1967), as I am about to officially conclude a 35-year career in our industry at the end of this year, I didn’t want to leave without passing along this secret weapon to you… and it’s a message I shared with every client I worked with, no matter what their situation or circumstance: “Work harder on yourself than you do your job search.” 

The phrase, “work harder on yourself than you do the job search,” suggests that the deepest driver of success in a challenging, often uninspiring process like finding work, isn’t just résumés, filling out applications, networking, or interview training, but rather the person a job seeker becomes in the process.  Though there are many more aspects to this philosophy, it pretty much means, It’s not what we get in life that matters most.  What matters most is who we become as a person in pursuit of what we want.  Below are a few aspects of how I believe personal growth ties into a more cohesive and effective rapid employment (job search) process, where job seekers become fully engage in their pursuits of a better job – a better future.

A Word about Personal Growth in Seeking a Job

The job search process is unpredictable, with rejection, uncertainty, and setbacks all along the way. If job seekers treat it only as a search or hunt for employment, they’ll often feel drained – overwhelmed. But if they genuinely perceive it as an opportunity to grow – to develop new skills, expand resilience, clarify goals, and design their futures on their terms, job seekers come out stronger, regardless of immediate results.  They learn to enjoy (or become fully engaged) in the journey – in pursuit of landing the right job. 

1. Personal Responsibility

The two major causes of underachievement are blame and excuses. Sadly, few people seem willing to take personal responsibility these days. Taking responsibility means accepting any type of wind that might blow, knowing that it’s not the wind, but rather the set of the sail that makes the difference between unemployment and gainful employment, between remaining in a stressful job and securing the perfect job. Taking responsibility means that if it’s going to be, it’s up to me and no one else.  Responsibility means going the extra mile with a smile, knowing that going the extra mile is the best investment a job seeker can make in their future. 

2. Discipline

Discipline is the bridge between employment and unemployment, between underemployment and meaningful employment. Discipline means doing those things that others aren’t willing to do and hanging in there long after everyone else has let go. Discipline is the foundation upon which all success is attained. An abundance of discipline leads to an abundance of job offers. In reality, job seekers have one of two life-changing choices to make: to employ discipline today to achieve their  job objectives, or neglect to employ discipline at the expense of their goals.  In a sentence, discipline is doing what we prefer not to do, in pursuit of what we want.  

3. Change in Attitude

Attitude plays a pivotal role in determining the success of a job search. More than just skills or qualifications, a job seeker’s mindset pretty much shapes how they approach challenges, setbacks, and opportunities. A positive and proactive attitude fosters resilience, allowing job seekers to persevere when facing rejections or periods of uncertainty. Rather than viewing rejection as failure, those with the right attitude see it as feedback – a chance to learn, adjust, and move closer to success.

Additionally, employers are not only evaluating work-place ability. but also the person behind the résumé. A job seeker who demonstrates optimism, confidence, and enthusiasm during interviews (and throughout the entire process), sends a powerful message: they will bring that same energy into the workplace. Conversely, frustration, negativity, or desperation can subtly surface and undermine even the most qualified candidate. Attitude directly influences body language, communication style, and the ability to build rapport, all of which weigh heavily in hiring decisions.  A positive, resilient outlook transforms the job search from a stressful ordeal into a growth and engaging experience, positioning candidates for long-term success and fulfillment.

4. A Positive Sphere of Influence

Will Rogers may have said it best when he said that, “The quality of life is often a result of the people in life you avoid.” It’s important that job seekers consistently assess the people they spend time with, and determine if these people are helping or hindering their rapid employment process.  

Presidents of corporations are affected by those serving on the board of directors. World-class athletes and entertainers surround themselves with world-class coaches and advisers. Job seekers must also have a positive, high-energy, and world-class group of advisers to help them meet their job and career objectives. 

This sphere of influence can consist of two people, or a team of ten.  It can consist of support groups, coaches, therapists, family members, friends, etc.  Influence can be subtle, so job seekers must always be aware and evaluate those people they spend most of their time with.  Once aware of their sphere of influence, they have 4 choices:  1) Identify people they need to spend more time with, 2) people they  need to spend less time with, 3) people they need to add to their sphere of influence, and 4) people they need to disassociate with – partially or completely. 

It’s true, our environment, especially the people we spend the most time with, impact our lives – good or bad.   So creating a powerful inner circle – sphere of influence – can be a job seeker’s lifeline when the going gets tough, and to celebrate with when the tough going leads to rapid success. 

5. Taking Action

All the planning in the world, all the processes, models, and strategies for rapid employment, mean absolutely nothing unless fueled by action. Action, driven by discipline, is what propels the process leading to an effective job campaign; to rapid employment. “Actions speak louder than words.” Action is the miracle piece to all success achievement, because when job seekers take massive action, they’ll get massive results.  Wisdom without action leads to painful underachievement.  But wisdom, fueled by massive action,  results in the most extraordinary job and career opportunities.

Final Word – Gratitude

I suggest that when we begin the process of working harder on ourselves than we do anything else, we begin the process with a deep sense of gratitude.  Having an intense appreciation for all we have today, in pursuit of all we desire tomorrow, is a most miraculous strategy because gratitude produces miracles – rapid employment… especially when supported by personal responsibility, discipline, a positive attitude, a powerful team of advisors, and taking action.  

When job seekers ask you how to begin a job search, you might begin, not by asking them what kind of job they want or by building a resume, but by asking them, “What five things are you most grateful for at this moment?”  (BTW: If they say nothing – give them a blind fold and tell them keep it on for a full day.  Then perhaps, they’ll appreciate their gift of sight). When gratitude is ever-present throughout the job search process, that’s the very foundation to employing the secret weapon to rapid employment: “Work harder on yourself than you do your job search – or anything else.”

Career development is different from job search. As a career coach, I coach my clients to develop a lifelong career management plan to become job-search-proofed. Career management is a lifelong process of acquiring skills, understanding career development and management, and making decisions that help clients achieve their dream job, skill set(s), and lifestyle. Clients bring Diane’s Whole-Person Theory issues to every job search. Many life factors and obstacles may impede career management or job search, including illness, death, divorce, babies, layoffs, the economy/finances, and more. These obstacles sometimes cause a job seeker’s career management plan to temporarily veer in a different direction. 

In some instances, careers span nearly a lifetime. Someone who decides to become a medical doctor will attain the necessary education, build a career in the field, and then specialize in a medical area, such as pediatrics, cardiology, orthopedics, or labor and delivery. The same career ladder may be true for lawyers, engineers, accountants, and experts in specific niches (spacesuit development, nuclear reactors, Artificial Intelligence or Robotics, green industries, etc.).

Some people end up in jobs that they never leave, jobs that last 20 or 30 or 40 years, like being a waitress in a restaurant, managing lawn care, becoming an expert butcher in a meat packing plant, mastering plumbing or electrician skills, and more. Some start as a stocker in a grocery market and grow up to become the grocery manager. These jobs/career fields/roles are not always planned; they just sort of happen and evolve without a plan. 

A career management plan includes enhancing skill sets via education and degrees, training and certifications, or on-the-job training. It also includes addressing skill gaps to attain a certain level of expertise for applying to higher-level positions. This may involve reviewing the requirements of higher-level positions to determine what skills are needed to elevate one’s career. Perhaps the client needs to speak with human resources or management to determine the performance level and requisite skill sets to attain a higher level of employment. 

Career management and career development involve identifying goals, setting new ones, and defining a career purpose. It also includes applying self-awareness regarding jobs/industries/and disciplines of interest, exploring the career landscape and job search, and making wise decisions based on fact-finding. 

Case Study

I worked a contract for the USDA and trained thousands of its employees in résumé writing, interviewing, positive onboarding, and career development. These personnel worked in food and meat processing/slaughter plants across the country. I took tours of poultry and beef plants to gain a solid understanding of the jobs they performed. They are responsible for ensuring that meat products are unadulterated when they reach commerce, which makes their jobs important. They understand animal diseases and possible contamination in the plants. They work in rather austere conditions. 

Side note: I learned that because the job was difficult, turnover was high, and many often were late to work or called in sick. Supervisors believed that employees who called in sick or were late were unreliable and irresponsible. I was further informed that the supervisors did not want to hire these employees into roles of greater responsibility, even if they were good/well-trained inspectors. So, dependability, reliability, and responsibility became skill sets and behavioral traits the supervisors used for hiring decisions. 

To address the turnover issue, leadership worked with information technology experts to design a virtual reality demonstration of the plants. These virtual reality headsets made it feel and look like I was in a plant. They used these VR headsets at job fairs and on university campuses.  However, when I entered the plant, it had a different feel; it had a harsh smell, and it was difficult to see the operations in the slaughter plant. So, even though the VR headset provided the experience and look of a plant, it missed the reality impact of working in a plant. 

Nevertheless, using this job as an example, some of the meat inspectors aspired to advance to positions as supervisors and managers. They sought more responsibility and opportunity to learn more and contribute to the larger operations. However, their résumés were poorly written: they listed some basic duties, they were not updated, and they lacked any accomplishments. They often included five or 10  years of work in one job block on the résumé. There was no thought about how to attain these higher-level positions. Even if they created nearly perfect résumés and met the qualifications for higher-level positions, if the employee had a less-than-perfect attendance record, they would not be able to attain promotions. 

I coached these inspectors to prepare a career advancement development plan that included a list of required skill sets, certifications, training, and or education. Coaching them to advance their careers, I asked them several questions:

• Why do you want the advancement?

• What will be different in the new role from your current role?

• Comparing the two roles, what experience do you need to attain to fill any gaps?

• How can you demonstrate to the hiring manager the value you bring to the position?

• How can you transform your résumé from duties to impactful accomplishment stories?

These inspectors had never considered the need to bolster their accomplishments. They just figured that the hiring managers/résumé reviewers would know what they do. 

I coached them to craft strong value impact statements and identify their accomplishments. I also coached them in determining their future plans. I asked them to:

• Write their long-term and short-term goals
• Create an action plan to reach the next level – and the next higher level of position they sought, including training, timelines, and commitments
• Review performance plans to determine any obstacles, e.g., if they did not have perfect attendance, they would need to decide and commit to reverse that downward spiral and demonstrate dependability to management and the plant operations over time
• Initiate and maintain an accomplishment journal

Career development and management is long-term planning and making adjustments to action plans as life circumstances enter the equation. It is about making wise decisions to identify a satisfying career field and attain an adequate salary. Job search is applying the tools gained from career management to each job search launch. 

Since November is National Career Development Month, I coach my clients to review their career management plans annually, make any adjustments, make new commitments, update their résumés, and remain job-search-proofed.